Annapurna Base Camp trek — the complete route guide
Seven to twelve days from near Pokhara into a glacial amphitheatre ringed by 7,000 m peaks, topping out at 4,130 m. Lower and shorter than Everest, with the best scenery-to-effort ratio in Nepal — but the final approach runs through a genuine avalanche corridor, which is the one thing to take seriously.
The Annapurna Sanctuary is a hidden glacial basin reached through a single narrow gorge, and walking into it is one of the great experiences in Himalayan trekking: the valley closes in for two days, then opens into a 360-degree ring of mountains with Annapurna I — the first eight-thousander ever climbed — directly overhead.
At 4,130 m maximum it is meaningfully lower than Everest Base Camp, needs no flight, and starts a couple of hours from Pokhara. That combination makes it the best first high trek in Nepal for most people.
The route at a glance
Roughly 115 km round trip, usually walked from Nayapul or one of the newer road heads and back, in seven to twelve days depending on whether you include the Poon Hill loop.
- Distance — about 115 km round trip.
- Duration — 7–12 days; add 2 days for the Ghorepani / Poon Hill loop.
- Start and finish — Nayapul or nearby road heads, 1.5–2 hours from Pokhara.
- Highest point — Annapurna Base Camp, 4,130 m (you sleep there).
- Difficulty — moderate. Endless stone staircases rather than altitude.
- Best seasons — March to May and October to November. Avoid heavy-snow winter and post-monsoon avalanche conditions.
A typical itinerary
The classic version combines the Sanctuary with the Poon Hill viewpoint, which adds two days and a genuinely spectacular sunrise. The short version goes straight up the Modi Khola.
- Day 1 — Pokhara to Nayapul, walk to Tikhedhunga (1,540 m) or Ulleri.
- Day 2 — The Ulleri staircase — over 3,000 stone steps — to Ghorepani (2,874 m).
- Day 3 — Pre-dawn to Poon Hill (3,210 m) for sunrise over Annapurna and Dhaulagiri, then on to Tadapani.
- Day 4 — Tadapani to Chhomrong (2,170 m), the gateway village to the Sanctuary.
- Day 5 — Chhomrong to Dovan or Himalaya Hotel (2,920 m). The gorge closes in.
- Day 6 — Through the avalanche corridor to Machhapuchhre Base Camp (3,700 m), then Annapurna Base Camp (4,130 m).
- Day 7 — Sunrise at ABC, then a long descent to Bamboo or Chhomrong.
- Days 8–9 — Down to Jhinu Danda for the hot springs, then out to Pokhara.
The avalanche corridor — the real risk here
Between Deurali and Machhapuchhre Base Camp the trail crosses a well-known avalanche path, and it has killed trekkers and guides. This is not a theoretical hazard.
The rules are the ones locals apply: cross early in the day, cross quickly and without stopping, do not cross after fresh heavy snowfall, and take the advice of lodge owners at Deurali about whether to go at all. In poor conditions the answer is to wait, and a guide who says so is doing their job.
Late winter and early spring after heavy snow are the highest-risk periods. This is also the main reason ABC has an off-season in a way that lower Annapurna treks do not.
Permits
Simple, and both are bought in Pokhara or Kathmandu before you start.
- ACAP — Annapurna Conservation Area Permit, Rs 3,000 for foreign nationals and around Rs 1,000 for SAARC nationals, plus 13% VAT.
- TIMS card — around Rs 2,000, with a reduced SAARC rate.
- A licensed guide, required for foreign trekkers since April 2023.
- Buy both at the Nepal Tourism Board / ACAP office in Pokhara — it is the most convenient office in Nepal for this.
Where to stay
The Annapurna region has the densest teahouse network in Nepal — you are rarely more than an hour or two from a lodge, which makes the route forgiving if you are slow or unwell.
- Ghorepani (2,874 m) — large, comfortable lodges; get one facing the mountains.
- Chhomrong (2,170 m) — the last real village, terraced above the gorge, with good food and the famous bakery. Also where you leave surplus kit.
- Bamboo / Dovan / Himalaya (2,300–2,920 m) — small lodges in the gorge, damp and cold, functional.
- Machhapuchhre Base Camp (3,700 m) — a handful of lodges in a spectacular position.
- Annapurna Base Camp (4,130 m) — several lodges. Cold, busy, and worth it for sunrise on Annapurna I.
- Jhinu Danda — on the way out, with natural hot springs a steep twenty minutes below the village. The best possible end to the walk.
Why the stone staircases matter more than the altitude
The Annapurna foothills are farmed and terraced, and the trails between villages are stone staircases — thousands of steps, up and down, day after day. The Ulleri climb alone is famously over 3,000 steps.
This is a different kind of hard from altitude. It punishes knees on the descent, it is relentless rather than steep, and it is where trekking poles genuinely earn their price. If you train for this trek, train on stairs.
The compensation is that you pass through inhabited country the whole way — Gurung and Magar villages, terraced fields, schools and shops — rather than the emptier high country of the Khumbu.
How the road has changed this trek
Roads have pushed into the Annapurna region steadily, and sections that were once walked are now driveable. That has shortened the classic itinerary and lets you start higher by jeep, which is genuinely useful if you are short of days.
It has also removed some walking that trekkers valued. Ask your agency exactly where you start and finish, because 'Annapurna Base Camp trek' now covers itineraries of quite different lengths depending on how much road transfer is used.
Starting higher also compresses your acclimatisation. If you jeep to a high road head, be more careful about the ascent rate afterwards, not less.
Key takeaways
- ✓7–12 days, about 115 km, maximum 4,130 m — the best scenery-to-effort ratio in Nepal and a strong first high trek.
- ✓The Deurali to MBC section crosses a genuine avalanche corridor: cross early, cross fast, and never after heavy fresh snow.
- ✓Permits are ACAP plus TIMS, both easy to buy in Pokhara, plus a licensed guide.
- ✓The hard part is stone staircases, not altitude — train on stairs and bring poles.
- ✓Finish at the Jhinu Danda hot springs. Everyone who skips them regrets it.
Annapurna Base Camp Trek — FAQ
How hard is the Annapurna Base Camp trek?+
Moderate. At 4,130 m maximum, altitude is much less of a factor than on Everest treks; the difficulty is thousands of stone steps up and down each day. A reasonably fit walker can do it, and the dense teahouse network makes it forgiving.
How many days is the Annapurna Base Camp trek?+
Seven to twelve days, depending on your road heads and whether you include the Ghorepani and Poon Hill loop, which adds about two days and a superb sunrise viewpoint at 3,210 m.
What permits do I need for Annapurna Base Camp?+
The Annapurna Conservation Area Permit (ACAP), around Rs 3,000 for foreign nationals plus 13% VAT, and a TIMS card at around Rs 2,000. Both are issued at the Nepal Tourism Board / ACAP office in Pokhara. Foreign trekkers also need a licensed guide.
Is Annapurna Base Camp dangerous?+
The specific hazard is the avalanche corridor between Deurali and Machhapuchhre Base Camp, which has killed trekkers. Cross it early in the day, quickly and without stopping, and never after heavy fresh snowfall — take the lodge owners' and your guide's judgement on whether to go at all.
Can you see Machhapuchhre from Annapurna Base Camp?+
Yes — Machhapuchhre (Fishtail, 6,993 m) dominates the approach and is one of the sanctuary's defining sights. It has never been officially summited and remains closed to climbing because it is held sacred.
Which is better, Annapurna Base Camp or Everest Base Camp?+
ABC is shorter, lower, cheaper, needs no flight and puts you inside a ring of mountains. EBC is higher, longer, more famous and passes through Sherpa Buddhist culture. For a first Himalayan trek, or if you have under two weeks, ABC is usually the better choice.
Related guides
Sources & data note
Day-by-day structure, walking times, teahouse cost ranges and difficulty judgements are our own synthesis of the route dataset behind this site, park and tourism-board information and consistent trekker reporting. They are planning estimates for a reasonably fit walker in a normal season, not published figures, and your itinerary should be built with a licensed guide who knows current trail and lodge conditions. Permit fees are quoted as base fees before 13% VAT; confirm at the issuing counter. Guides are written from primary sources — Nepali government departments, operators, park authorities and standards bodies — and each guide lists the sources used for its own facts. Rules, fees and prices in Nepal change; treat figures as current at the review date shown on each guide and verify anything money- or visa-critical with the issuing authority before you rely on it.
- Nepal Tourism Board — official site (trekking and trekker information)Nepal Tourism Board ↗
- Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation — parks and entry feesDNPWC, Government of Nepal ↗
- Trekking Agencies' Association of Nepal (TAAN)TAAN ↗
- High-Altitude Travel and Altitude Illness — CDC Yellow BookUS Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ↗
- Himalayan Rescue Association Nepal — altitude aid posts and adviceHimalayan Rescue Association ↗
- Nepal trekking permits and fees (2026)Follow Alice ↗
- National Trust for Nature Conservation — Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP)NTNC ↗